Elm Street passersby might think the odd-looking structure is a new departure in architecture, being half grassy knoll and half modern office building.

But it’s the new home of Emergency 911 services, which have been active in the community since 1992 with public safety answering points located at the Athens Police Department and Limestone County Sheriff’s Department.

Transitioning to the new, single answering point will happen between Sept. 27 and Oct. 4, according to E-911 Director R.V. White. This week about 15 “telecommunicators” from the sheriff’s and police departments and from Athens-Limestone Hospital are taking training on the new dispatching, addressing and mapping system in preparation for the transition.

On Friday, the public is invited to tour the facility from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and enjoy refreshments.

White explained that the $1.2 million building, designed by Fuqua Osborn Associates, was built according to Homeland Security recommendations and local experience.

“It is a hardened structure with a portion of it designed to withstand an F-5 tornado or 250 mph straight-line winds,” said White. “But we are not a tornado shelter. We will be a secure building with restricted access.”

The building is self-sufficient from a utilities standpoint, also, and the bunker-type portion with a soil covering ensures that emergency communications would not be interrupted in the most extreme situations.

“In the event of a catastrophic event, other agencies are welcome to come here temporarily and we will work with them until they can get set up,” said White.

White, a retired fire-protection manager for TVA’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and 20-year member of the East Limestone Volunteer Fire Department, now heads a staff of 12 full-time and three part-time workers that answer to a seven-member board.

He credits the establishment of the center to his predecessor, Richard Holt, who died suddenly in July 2005. White calls Holt’s death the beginning of a series of “devastating events” that shook efforts to get the center in operation.

“Richard Holt led the 911 system to this point,” said White. “He deserves all the credit. In July 2005 he went to sleep one night and never woke up. An assistant he had hired, Jo Trainer, passed away within a month of an undiagnosed brain tumor. I was hired on Aug. 22 and one week later Hurricane Katrina hit.”

White said that E-911 Board Chairman Harvey Craig stepped in as acting director with the help of Lanita Smith, administrative assistant and address specialist.

“One employee remained, and that was Lanita Smith,” said White. “She held everything together and was able to perform under a very stressful situation duties for which she was not trained or prepared. Without the board and the leadership of Harvey Craig as chairman and Lanita Smith, I wouldn’t want to think where we’d be right now.”

White credits staff members of Athens Police Chief Wayne Harper and Sheriff Mike Blakely for the smooth operation of the E-911 system since 1992.

“They’ve done an exceptional job and provided a service that will be difficult to follow because the men and women of both departments were so dedicated to serving by providing the best possible, timely emergency response,” said White. “It’s difficult for me to describe how much Chief Harper, Sheriff Blakely and their communication staffs have provided to this community. They set the bar very high.”